Feelings

After a person has been sexually assaulted, it's normal to experience a range of feelings and reactions. There is no right way or wrong way to feel or react. Everyone copes in his or her own way. Some people have very strong reactions after being sexually assaulted, others are calm. Some feelings and reactions might be experienced directly after the assault while other feelings and reactions can occur days or sometimes weeks later. These feelings and reactions have the ability to interfere with how you cope.

Understanding that these feelings are normal and experienced by others who have been sexually assaulted may make the feelings and reactions less frightening. Some of the normal feelings and reactions that you may experience any time following a sexual assault are: